Between Snakes and Lions
by Tenshi-Oujosama
Summary: Tom Marvolo Gaunt might be a poor and orphaned half-blood but he knew that he was the heir of Slytherin. He hates all Mudbloods especially hating his father for treating his Mother that way. Cunning, sly and charismatic ;Tom would do everything to achieve his ambitions… including a certain Gryfindor. AU
1. Chapter 1

Between Snakes and Lions

**Summary:** Tom Marvolo Gaunt might be a poor and orphaned half-blood but he knew that he was the heir of Slytherin. He hates all Mudbloods especially hating his father for treating his Mother that way. Cunning, sly and charismatic ;Tom would do everything to achieve his ambitions… including a certain Gryfindor. AU

**Pairings:** If you don't like slash pairing (predominantly in this fic would be TomHarry one), don't read. There might be some disturbing/crack pairings depending on my mood so you might want to brace yourself.

**Warning(and some spoilers):** I'm basically re-arranging things here. Lily Evans-Potter would not simply be a muggleborn but she would be something. Snape's not much of a bastard but he still dislikes James. Dumbledore isn't school head. Tom and Harry are in the same year. McGonagall's a student instead of a teacher. Merope Gaunt would not be that helpless and she would be a true Slytherin to the core. There's a reason for it to be labeled AU no?

Oh yeah, the story would be fast paced and divided into snippets of past and present. Forgot about that one.

And this is a muse story… as always.

**Chapter 1:Interlude**

"_Infirm of purpose! _

_Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead _

_Are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood _

_That fears a painted devil. If he do bleed, _

_I'll gild the faces of the grooms withal, _

_For it must seem their guilt. "_

_- Macbeth; Act 2, Scene II_

'Mother?' a small cry echoed from a five-year old Tom as he looked at his mother. Merope Gaunt was not one would consider as pretty or comely but for Tom who loved his mother with all his heart;she was.

"What is it, my little Tom?" she asked with a faint smile. Her eyes were lovely, her only redeeming physical feature. It was dark, haunting and beautiful like the midnight color of the sky; little Tom was glad he inherited them.

"I'm not little. I'm already big!" Tom gave a huff, earning chuckles from Merope. She treasured her little boy. She was saddened by the action of her husband but she expected it. He doesn't love her and his _love _for her was done under a love potion. She hoped that he could even love her no matter how small but he casted her away. He was horrified he married her and not to his beautiful and lovely Cecilia. It was insulting so she returned back to who she truly was.

Merope was a witch; she was a Gaunt and she was and still is an heiress of Slytherin, no matter how her _dear_ father and brother taunted her that she was a squib. She knew the truth and siletly cursed her own mother of transferring her magic to her oaf of a brother to make the 'true heir' stronger.

"Mother," Tom broke her out of her musing. "Tell me a story again. The one with Slytherin and his basilisk."

Merope gave a another smile. Her son was bright, clever and handsome. He would be great someday and bring glory to Slytherin. And so Merope started telling tales. She decided to train her beloved child to get what he deserves as the heir of Slytherin. She would give what remaining magic she has to her son… even if it kills her.

* * *

"_Your legacy should be that you made it better than it was when you got it."_

_-Lee Iacocca_

Eleven year old Tom Marvolo Gaunt was very nervous even if he was not obvious. He was alone in the compartment. He was only wearing modest robes (it was actually a bit expensive but it was very easy to charm that woman) but he was holding himself in a manner of old families (of course, her mother was an excellent example). Still Tom was a little lonely. He has not yet talked with… anybody since boarding the train.

"Ah, the lone one," a drawl came after the compartment slid open. Tom looked to see a blonde boy smirking at him. He was arrogant and haughty (definitely pureblood, Tom metally added) and he was surrounded by two goons.

"Is there something you want?" Tom asked calmly. His mother told him that most purebloods demanded respect and Tom should act like one because he was a Gaunt, not some dirty rotten Riddle. He was the heir of Slytherin for Merlin's sake!

"You wouldn't mind if we help ourselves." The blonde was not asking, Tom noted.

"Of course."

"I'm Draco Malfloy," the blonde introduced "They're Crabbe and Goyle."

"I am Tom Marvolo Gaunt."

Draco widened his eyes then composed himself. There was a calculating glint in his eyes.

"I thought the Gaunt line died out since Marvolo Gaunt died."

"He had a daughter who was of frail health," Tom answered with ease "My grandfather does not want her to be harassed by the wizarding world because of her condition."

"And what is it? She fell in love with a mudblood? She was a squib?"

Tom's eyes flashed in annoyance. This was his mother they were talking about.

'_Massster thisss one has dare upset you!'_ faithful Nagini hissed as she poked out Tom's robes earning gasps from the comparment.

"_Fear not my dear. The fool does not know what he is saying,"_ Tom answered back in Paraseltongue. Nagini obeyed and Tom turned to see awe in those eyes.

"I and my companions, welcome you heir of Slytherin," Draco began in a more respectful tone. "I apologize if my brazingness gave you insult."

"I do understand and appreciate your behaviour, Malfloy," Tom amended "You do not want the noble house of the great Slytherin to be tainted. My mother told me much before her… untimely death."

Tom tried not to put sadness in that. Her mother told him not to show weaknesses that others would exploit.

"My mother's magic was too powerful that her parents tried to suck some but… it did not end well." _Technically, Mother's magic was sucked to give to her no-good brother_ "As for my father… do refrain from telling anyone."

The other three perked up at that.

"My father was well… her brother who also died before her."_ It was an outright lie but I need their trust._

There was another round of gasps and awe staring. Incest was frowned upon but the purebloods won't care to protect blood purity… even though it **is **illegal.

The compartment slid again, only for a mousy haired girl and a dark haired boy with glasses asking if they saw a toad. When they left, Draco rolled his eyes annoyed.

"Honestly the Potters are an old pureblood line and they are mingling with mudbloods!"

"Potters?"

"The guy with glasses."

The only ones having conversation are Draco and Tom. The latter really affirmed that the other two were only goons or bodyguards.

"Hmm… I am afraid I am at lost there. I have not the opportunity to familiarize myself with pureblooded families." Tom would not talk too much. It would make him look pathetic and an attention seeker. Predictably, Draco gave him a questioning look.

"I was raised up in a… muggle orphanage when my mother died," Tom hissed venemously at the word muggle that it was obvious to the three how much the heir of Slytherin hated them.

"Oh," Draco had the grace to be apologetic before explaining the Potters and with a promise to share to him his knowledge regarding the other families.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Emeralds**

"_Seated one day at the organ,_

_I was weary and ill at ease,_

_And my fingers wandered idly_

_Over the noisy keys._

_But I struck one chord of music,_

_Like the sound of a great Amen."_

_-Adelaide Ann Procter_

As long as six-year-old Tom was able to remember, his mother was teaching him magic and their noble heritage. She encouraged him to explore and learn of his own. They lived in another village near Little Hangleton, near enough to access a hidden passage to the underground studies of the Gaunts.

The Gaunts, despite their fall into madness and debauchery, had been cunning considering they descended from Salazar Slytherin. The secret passage can only be opened by a Gaunt who can speak in Paraseltongue. The mother and son were fortunately one and could enter inside.

Merope was not skilled or powerful but Tom was a gifted and bright child. Then again, Merope's magical condition can be blamed when Serpensina, Merope's mother, performed a ritual to siphon her magic to her brother.

Tom had read that it was a dark ritual so old that its name was forgotten. It would make the 'victim' a squib but the one who would receive the magic would double or even triple in power. Merope was feeling betrayed, and as a last act of vengeance, her magic killed Serpensina but left her. Her brother grew more insane at that, losing his ability to speak properly and only speaking in the language of snakes. Marvolo Gaunt hated his daughter for her condition but praised his wife and favored his ill-tempered son. Tom did not like his family except for his mother. He hated his name because those two were the main tormentors of his beloved mother. His disgusting mudblood father and his foul fool of a grandfather!

Now, it would be an excellent time to ask why he was thinking these thoughts.

Simple answer: Mudbloods.

Oh no, Tom was not bullied. He **was** usually the bully. Rather a young girl who looked the same age as he was being harassed by older children. She was fighting for her glasses.

"That's mine and I would appreciate it if you would give it back," the girl said as soon as she was able to regain her composure. Tom had seen her eyes flash in anger and he could tell he was controlling herself from it. Tom sensed uncontrolled magic from her before she calmed herself down.

"Why should we, girly?" the leader drawled as his goons laughed. This was the reason Tom hated mudbloods. They are despicable and rotten just like that good for nothing father of his! He was about to intervene, more to satisfy his bloodlust rather than helping the girl.

"You are not evil," the girl began with a soothing tone that even Tom stopped with his advance. He was curious at her tactic since the bullies seem to consider her words. Tom was sure that the girl was a witch but she did not use any compelling magic.

"You want to prove yourselves," the girl continued as sincere as the first time. "You might act as that but deep within- you are not bad. I'm sure you can prove them wrong."

Minutes later, after a brief conversation from the now reformed bullies and the girl, Tom decided to face her.

"Is there a problem?" she asked with her brilliant green eyes blinking. Tom would say she was rather pretty for a girl with her raven black hair tied in a ponytail, frilly red and gold dress and intelligent eyes. Her mannerism spoke of a noble… a pureblood witch raised in the _proper_ ways.

"You are new here, are you not?"Tom asked pleasantly "My name is Tom Gaunt."

There was a flash of recognition before she masked it away. Tom hid his satisfaction and concluded that the girl was a witch. If she was a pureblood, he was not sure.

"I-" she paused and did a curtsy, albeit a clumsy one as if she was not used to it. "It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Emerald Macmillan."

That was the first time Tom had a friend- or at least someone he could consider a friend. Emerald was smart and read a lot of books. She confessed that she read about the Dark Arts something Tom was happy about until she said that she wanted to learn a countermeasure for them.

She was finally fetched by a house elf, strengthening his belief that she was a pureblood or at least one coming from an affluent family. She bid him farewell but Tom never saw her again.

* * *

"_Nothing is inevitable until it happens"_

_-A. J. P. Taylor_

The Sorting that had happened was interesting for one Tom Marvolo Riddle. His mother and her family had ever gone to Hogwarts because of the mudbloods and the blood traitors. He was amazed at the ceiling… if it could even be called as such. If it was an illusionary magic, it was pretty impressive.

"Father was right," Draco breathed softly as he looked at the ceiling in wonder "He said that I should watched for the charmed ceiling."

Now, the hat that old professor was holding was another curious thing. If he was allowed to, Tom would… examine how that old hat seemed aware and very much alive. The professor now identified as Deputy Headmaster Dumbledore told them that the hat would be the one to sort them to their individual houses.

_'How would they be sorted with a hat?'_ Tom thought to himself, preparing for whatever may happen when the hat began to sing.

"_Oh I might look old and weary,_

_But you would never find another hat as me._

_I was made to sort each and everyone;_

_There is nothing in your head I can't see_

_All your thoughts will be free_

_For I am the Sorting Hat_

_And I would tell you apart_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
If you've a steady mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Now slip me snug about your ears,_

_And tell where you belong_

_Let the sorting now begin!"_

Now that was very interesting…how Tom would love to inspect that hat. Tom was not at all interested with the sorting. He doesn't have to worry on what house he would be sorted into. He was a Gaunt. Would the hat even dare place the heir of Slytherin in another house?

"Gaunt, Tom!"

There was a buzzing murmurs on the Slytherins and a few pureblood families on other houses. The Gaunts were a pureblood family descended from Salazar Slytherin; No Gaunt had attended Hogwarts.

Tom Marvolo Gaunt would be the first one to ever step foot in Hogwarts since Salazar himself left.

The hat barely touched his head when it shouted 'SLYTHERIN' for all to hear.

Vincent (Crabbe) had reserved seats for him, Gregory (Goyle) and Draco who were naturally Slytherins. The first two might be idiots most of the time but they were purebloods and definitely have some use. Draco was a welcome companion save for his over-confident attitude and how he uses his father's influence much.

"Potter, Harry!"

Tom really was not focusing much on the sorting but the name Potter was worth. Something about those eyes seem familiar… just like emeralds. Vincent and Gregory mumbled about how hungry they was curious just as the other students. Harry Potter's sorting was taking **too **long. Tom glanced at the proffesors and even they seemed uncomfortable at that.

_Maybe the hat broke,_ Tom thought but casually observed the male. Potter was calm on the outside but Tom knew that the green eyed boy was nervous. Who wouldn't when ones sorting was that slow.

Headmaster Dippet began whispering something to Professor Dumbledore who in turn nodded. He was about to stand up when the sorting hat cried 'GRYFFINDOR!'

Was it just Tom or he could see relief in him? Oh well, Tom would just put it in his mind and maybe he would get to ask Potter. For now, he would just enjoy after the Headmaster's welcoming speech.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, I don't like writing romance right away so a TomXHarry would wait until later. They are BLOODY eleven. As for Emerald Macmillan… let's just say she would be an important character. Don't hate her just yet. She would always be a constant in Tom's life. She was after all the first he can consider a friend. A shame they have part (or maybe they would meet in a different circumstance?) But that would be for the future. I can't have myself giving spoilers after all.

The Macmillans will be important in Harry's and Lily's lives. Hints about them would be in the next chapter… if my muse's plans go well.


End file.
